Covid-19: Shops in UP to remain closed only on Sundays, says state govt

Shops in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed only on Sundays, instead of the two-day weekend lockdown, the state government said on Tuesday.

The government had in July announced that shops and offices would remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays to stop the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi on Tuesday said, "The chief minister has instructed that there will be no weekly closure on Saturdays, and shops can remain open from 9 am to 9 pm.

"However, shops will remain closed on Sundays from midnight of Saturday to midnight of Sunday," he said.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed officials to speed up development projects.

At a routine meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the state, he directed divisional commissioners to review developmental projects of over Rs 50 crore.

"Development projects in the state should be given pace. Agriculture production commissioner, infrastructure and industrial development commissioner, additional chief secretary and principal secretaries should inspect offices," Adityanath said.

"All markets should open from 9 am to 9 pm and weekly closure of markets should be fixed on Sundays," he said.

The chief minister directed officials to conduct "microanalysis" of COVID-19 situation in Lucknow and Kanpur districts, make "effective plan" and implement it there.

Adityanath reiterated that testing facilities should be increased in the state and there should be 1.5 lakh tests daily.